Portable stereophonic sound system



Feb. 2, 1960 'R. J. DE CAPITE PORTABLE STEREOPHONIC souno SYSTEM FiledOct. 24, 1958 INVENTOR. RICHARD J. DeCAPITE BY amawym y V, ATTORNEYS ofthe invention may be employed. In said annexed drawing:

This invention relates to a stereophonic sound reproducing means and,more particularly, to a portable combination of the components whichmust or desirably should be provided in such equipment.

Stereophonic sound reproduction of course requires at least twoloudspeakers capable of being placed at different locations andenergized by a stereophonic ampli- 2,923,370 Patented Feb. 2, 1960 theconstruction found in the interfit of the assemble units.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the illustrated phonographcomprises a main section or assembly des- 5 ignated generally byreference numeral having a front fier system, with the sound derivedfrom either recording media or radio wave reception. The loudspeakersshould preferably be spaced an appreciable distance apart, for example,on the order of fifteen feet, and while this separated-speakerarrangement is of little or no concern in a relatively fixed orpermanent installation, it does obviously tend to defeat or makeinconvenient ready portability of the system. The so-called portablestereophonic systems which are now available are actually portable onlybecause of the reduced size and weight of the units, there being twounits which are entirely structurally separate in handling and carryingas well as in use.

It is accordingly a primary object of my invention to provide astereophom'c sound system comprising at least two units which arenormally separated physically inuse but constructed for combination in aunitary assembly to facilitate storage, transportation and otherhandling thereof.

A further object is to provide such a system having an amplifier sectionand two loudspeaker sections in a single structural unit in which one orboth speaker sections simultaneously can be separated readily from theamplifier section or, in other words, the three sections can be groupedin relatively spaced relation, this being the condition for optimumlistening as will be described more fully hereinafter.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide such a combinationthe construction of which is ecowill become apparent as the followingdescription proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawings'etting' forth 'in detail certain'illustrativeembodiments of the-inventiom-t-hese being indicative, however, of but afew of the various ways in which the principle Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of a portable stereophonic phonograph made in accordance with thepresent invention, showing the multiple units or sections thereof inseparated relation;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of such phonograph system in its assembledunitary condition; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmented section illustrating a detail of wall 11, sidewalls 12,. and a rear wall 13 defining a rectangular space 14 withinwhich a conventional turntable and a ster'eophonic or two-channelamplifier are housed. All of these components are selected fromcommercially available products and accordingly do not, in an individualsense, form a part of the present invention.

Without regard to specific type, then, there is shown a turntable 15, apick-up arm 16 and appropriate controls 17 above a horizontal divider 18in the space 14, and it will be understood that the amplifier system ismounted in suitable manner beneath such divider.

This main assembly has a bottom 19 of such length as to projectrespectively beyond the vertical side walls -12 and at each outer edgeof such bottom there is. an

assembly, a partially opened condition being illustrated in Fig. -l. Theends of the cover are provided with down-turned flanges 23 respectivelyin the same planes as the bottom flanges 20 and consequently opposed tothe latter when the cover is closed.

The projecting portions of the bottom, rear wall and cover at the sidesof the assembly 10 form pockets for receiving separately constructedspeaker enclosures or boxes 24. Each such box is rectangular, with itsheight equal to the height of the front wall 11, and side walls 12, itslength equal to the distance between the outer surface of the front wall11 and the inner surface of the rear wall 13, and its depth, in theillustrated embodiment, approximately twice the lateral projection ofthe bottom and cover.

The two speaker boxes 24 are provided with longitudinal top and bottomgrooves 25 and 26, respectively, centrally thereof and of a depth toreceive the bottom flanges 20 and the cover flanges 23. Such boxestherefore can be mounted, as shown 'in Fig. 2, at the sides of the mainassembly 10 by raising the cover 22, placing their backs against theside walls 12, with the bottom flanges 20 fitted in their bottomlongitudinal grooves 26,

. and then closing the cover to engage the flanges 20 of the same in thetop grooves 25 of the speaker boxes.

For more positive holding of the speaker enclosures in such assembledrelation,'the bottom and cover flanges are preferably provided withprojecting pins 27 which engage in opposed recesses 28 formed in the boxgrooves,

as shown in detail in Fig. 2. Such boxes are, by this expedient,prevented from sliding along the flanges, the latter of courseprecluding outward shifting of the same.

Each speaker enclosure 24 has mounted therein a conventional loudspeaker29 and is open at the back, as shown at 30, with a screen cloth '31 atthe front opening provided for the speaker. The side walls 12 of themain assembly 10 have slots 32 therein and the spezikerconplate-34engaging in and fastened byfa latch 35 on the front wall 11 when closed.A carrying handle 36 is also mounted on the front wall.

The three components can thus becarried .in a single handle when inassembled condition, and it will be noted that the rear wall endprojections 21 will beat the bottom in the carrying position and therebyassist in supporting the speaker enclosures. In such assembledcondition, the ends of the speaker boxes at the front are flush with theoutersurface of the front wall. a The permitted "separation of bothspeakers from the amplifier in use is of course desirable for highfidelity reproduction, and with the speaker cords each approximatelyseven feet long, as mentioned earlier, it will be clear that theoptimum'spacing for sterophonic sound can be realized. It will also beappreciated that the openbacks of the enclosures provide betterperformance than completely closed units, as Well as facilitating cordstorage which could, if desired, be even further aided by the use ofconventional cord reels.

As a specific example which demonstrates the compactness of theassembly, one model of the illustrated construction is approximately.eighteen inches long in the fully assembledcondition (Fig. 2), nineinches high, and sixteen inches deep. Each speaker box of this system isroughly four inches deep, slightly over fifteen inches. long, and aboutseven inches high, with a six by nine inch oval speaker mounted therein.

Should the system employ a radio receiver in lieu of the record player,which is of course entirely feasible, the overall size could possibly.be further reduced. The significant characteristics of the new systemare obviously the unitary nature .of the assembled equipment and thewide or substantial separation permitted, with such features as themanner of fastening of the speaker enclosures at the ends of the mainassembly. being clearly variable in detail without significantlyeffecting the basic construction or the advantages provided by the same.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided'thefeatures stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of suchbe emplayed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. Stereophonic sound reproducing means comprising a cabinet havingfront, rear and side walls defining a space for reception of aStereophonic amplifier system, said cabinet further having a bottomwhich projectsat each side and a similarly projecting hinged cover forsuch space, the rear wall of the cabinet. also projecting at the sides,whereby each side wall and the adjacent projecting portions ofthebottom,- rear wall, and cover form a pocket, a pair of separatelyconstructed loudspeaker enclosures each having, a connecting cord ofsubstantial length leading to such cabinet space for connection to suchamplifier system, said. enclosuresbeingofsuch size as to fit at leastpartially within the pockets formed as aforesaid at the sides of thecabinet, and means for releasably securing the loudspeaker enclosures tothe cabinet when thus fitted in the. side pockets thereof, so that theenclosures can be united with the cabinet in, a single assemblyforstorage, transportation and the like.

2. Stereophonic sound reproducing means comprising a cabinet havingfront, rear and side walls defining a space for reception of astereophonic amplifier system, said cabinet further having a bottomwhich projects at each side and asimilarly projecting hinged cover forsuch space, the rear wall of the cabinet also projecting.v atv thesides, whereby each side wall and the adjacent projecting portions ofthe bottom, rear wall, and cover from a pocket, a pair of separatelyconstructed loudspeaker enclosure boxes each having a connecting cord ofsubstantial length leading to such cabinet space for connection to suchamplifiersystem, said boxes being of such size as to fit at leastpartially within the cabinet side pockets, with one side of eachboxagainst therear wall projection and the sideoppositesuch one sideapproximately flush with the cabinet front wall, and means forreleasably securing the loudspeaker. .enclosureboxes-to the cabinet whenthus fitted in the side pockets thereof, so that the enclosure boxes canbe united with the cabinet in a single assembly for storage,transportation and the like.

3. Stereophonic sound reproducing means comprising a cabinet havingfront, rear and side walls defining a space for reception of aStereophonic amplifier system, said cabinet further having a bottomwhich projects at each side and a similarly projecting hinged cover forsuch space, latch means for holding said cover in closed condition, therear wall of the cabinet also projecting at the sides, whereby each sidewall and the adjacent projecting portions of the bottom, rear wall, andcover form a pocket, a loudspeaker enclosure box removably fitted atleast partially in each such cabinet side pocket, and securing meanscarried by said cover for holding the boxes in such assembled conditionwhen the cover is closed, such boxes being separable from the. cabinetfor remote positioning when the cover is opened.

4. Stereophonic sound reproducing means comprising a cabinet havingfront, rear and sidewalls defininga space for reception of astereophonic amplifier system, said cabinet further having a bottomwhich projects at each side and a similarly projecting hinged cover forsuch space, latch means for holding said cover in closed condition, therear wall of the cabinet also projecting at the sides, whereby each sidewall and the adjacent projecting portions of the bottom, rear wall, andcover form a pocket, a loudspeaker enclosure box removably fitted atleast partially in each such cabinet side pocket, securing means carriedby said cover for holding the boxes in such assembled condition when thecover is closed, and a handle at the front wall of the cabinet by meansof which the same and the thus assembled loudspeaker boxes can becarried as a unitary assembly, such boxes beingseparablefrom the cabinetfor remote positioning when thecover is opened. I 5. In stereophonicsound reproducing equipment, an amplifier section including a generallyrectangular housing, said housing having side walls, a bottom, and ahinged cover, the bottom and cover projecting beyond the side walls atboth sides. and having opposed inturned flanges at their outer edges,and a pair of separatelyv constructed loudspeaker boxes respectivelyarranged againsttheside walls, said boxes having top and bottom wallswith recesses therein in which the cover and bottom flanges arerespectively engaged, the boxes being removable for remote positioningby opening the cover. to withdraw'the flanges'thereof andv lifting theboxes from the bottom flanges.

References Cited in thefile of this patent.

UN IIED s T s PATENTS Dunn etal. Apr. 17, 1951

